Latest from Bay Area Ridge Trail Council

The vision to create a 550-mile trail around the San Francisco Bay is threatened by state park closures scheduled for this summer, trail advocates say.The Bay Area Ridge Trail may not be the target of California state budget cuts, but because it runs through four state parks that are on the chopping block, advocates are worried about its future. As the July 1 deadline approaches on state park closures, the trail advocates say it's still unclear how trail access, maintenance, and public safety will be handled, as well as what happens to long term prospects for connecting new trails to the loop.

Janet McBride has spent the past 13 years championing the two region-wide trails that encircle the Bay Area, making her one of our great unsung heroes of human-powered outdoor recreation in the Bay Area.

For the first time since 1993, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors has asked the county parks department to review criteria for land acquisition, and they're looking for input from the public on what kinds of parklands they buy, and where.

At 2,463 feet, Sonoma Mountain is not even close to our region's tallest peak. But its broad slopes hold a remarkable diversity of iconic Bay Area landscapes, from redwood groves to oak woodlands to ranchlands and vineyards. And at the summit, the views sweep from ocean to valley. With new acquisitions and trails in the works, public access to those views keeps getting better and better.